


Les Ailes de la Liberté

by megaesthetic



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Paris, Eren Yeager is a himbo, Eventual Smut, Levi Ackerman has a scar, Levi Needs a Hug (Shingeki no Kyojin), M/M, More tags to be added, Murder, Nonbinary Hange Zoë, Switch Eren Yeager, Switch Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), accidental misgendering
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:48:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28551132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/megaesthetic/pseuds/megaesthetic
Summary: When Eren Yeager travels to Paris to celebrate his graduation he never expects to be witness to a murder. Especially one that leads him to be caught up with the most formidable gang in France, lead by the mysterious (and drop dead gorgeous) Levi Ackerman.
Relationships: Levi & Eren Yeager, Levi/Eren Yeager
Comments: 8
Kudos: 34





	Les Ailes de la Liberté

****

* * *

**EREN YEAGER STARED** out of the window to his right, watching as the grand city of Paris passed by in a swift blur. Beautiful Haussmann buildings towered over the dark blue minivan he and his family had been piled into. Pedestrians rushed throughout the bustling streets and in the distance, the Eiffel Tower stood tall and proud. Excitement bubbled within his veins at the thought of all the places to be seen and memories to be made.

Eren whirled around to face his cousin, Armin Arlert, and suppressed a groan. The blonde had his nose buried deep in a French dictionary. _Why am I not surprised_? Even though the two had just graduated college, Armin would never miss out on an opportunity to learn something new. “Come on, Armin. You’ve been dissecting that thing since we boarded the plane. Why don’t you take a break? Enjoy the scenery? You know what they say about living in the moment.”

Armin shook his head, golden strands falling into his face. “Not happening, Eren. I only have a few months to learn as much as I can about French culture and I can’t do that without having a basic understanding of the language.”

Eren frowned. “What kind of logic is that?”

Armin lowered his book, unimpressed. “Eren, you ignorant tourist. It’s known that the French are brutal when it comes to foreigners; cold and reluctant to reveal information. Thus, I have formulated a plan guaranteed to get me on their good side. First, I shall lure them into my trap by speaking flawless French, and then—”

“You’re stereotyping, Armin,” Eren placed a hand on his shoulder. The blonde had started shaking from enthusiasm, a wild glint in his eyes. “You do what you do best then and Lord help the unfortunate souls you’ll antagonize.

He scoffed. "Jerk."

"Prick."

"Eren."

The warning in his mother's voice was enough to make him cringe. Carla peeked over the back of her seat, eyebrow raised. Her dark hair was tied up into a messy bun and the light makeup around her eyes made them pop. People often commented that Eren looked the spitting image of his mother, but he didn't see it.

"Ah, sorry, Mom," a sheepish smile tugged at his lips. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she said, "but that's not the kind of language I want my son to be associated with. Act like a gentleman, would you?"

He nodded. "I understand, Mom. It won't happen again."

"As if."

Armin whined when Eren elbowed him in the side, followed by a pointed look.

Carla sighed. "Just... look out the window and shush. Both of you. You're giving me an awful headache."

"Actually, Aunt Carla, I'm pretty sure that's the jetlag—ow, Eren!"

Eren had elbowed his cousin _again_. He should’ve known by now that it was futile to argue with Carla Yeager, renowned defense attorney. She had never lost a case, not even a petty argument against her son. Once she decided on something, it was final.

Eren glanced at his father. The man was once again curled over one of his many medical journals. He had barely said a word during the journey, opting to broaden his knowledge of the medical field, even though they were lodging at _his_ friend’s apartment. But that wasn’t surprising. Grisha Yeager was a man of very few words.

Three years ago, he had saved the life of a French detective who was working a case in America, and to express his gratitude, the detective offered them his home if they ever found themselves in Paris. To celebrate their graduation, the Yeagers decided to finally call in that favor.

“Is Mikasa still asleep?” Carla suddenly asked.

Eren looked to his left. His sister was swathed in her red scarf and a fluffy blanket, soft snores escaping her parted lips. She looked an absolute mess. Her dark hair stuck out in all directions and a trail of drool drippled from the corner of her mouth. Casually slipping out his phone, Eren snapped a picture. “Sound asleep – just like a kitten.”

“Eren!” Carla playfully scolded, shaking her head. “Send me the picture, would you? I need it for the scrapbook.”

“Always.”

Every time they travelled, Carla would create an annual scrapbook to record their memories. A few years ago, during a trip to Japan, she stumbled across Eren’s Instagram page where he posted various images of the world and promptly hired him as her official photographer. She encouraged him to follow his passion and to major in photography. Grisha wasn’t too happy, to say the least, but Carla heard nothing.

“You might want to wake her up, though,” his mother continued. “We’re nearly there.”

“Will do.”

Detective Reiss’s apartment was on the third floor of a sandstone building adorned with rows of windows and decorative reliefs. The building looked tiny and Eren wondered how they’d all fit. The minivan came to a halt on the side of the road and Carla was the first to hop out, Armin and Grisha quick to follow as a short and stout man wobbled out the wooden front doors.

 _Detective Reiss_.

Mikasa was still fast asleep. Eren gripped her shoulder and tried to shake her awake. “Wake up, you rat. We’re here.”

She mumbled incoherently, but showed no signs of joining the living. _Perfect_. It was obvious she spent the eight-hour flight studying various French phrases and expressions with Armin, but unlike the blonde, caffeine wasn’t enough to keep her conscious.

Hoisting the seventeen-year-old into his arms, Eren maneuvered out of the van. “You’re lucky I’m not leaving your stinky ass behind,” he grumbled, readjusting the girl. Walking around the vehicle, he greeted the driver who unloaded their luggage onto the sidewalk and joined his family.

Carla was in the middle of introductions. “…and this is my son Eren. You remember him, right, Rod? And this is my daughter, Mikasa. Oh dear. Please excuse her. She didn’t get much sleep during the slight,” a disapproving frown creased her face when her eyes fell on the pair. Eren felt bad. He knew Mikasa was bound to get a scolding.

Rod chuckled, a deep sound rumbling in his chest. “No need to apologize. When my daughter was her age, it was unlikely to see her awake well before the afternoon. Nothing to worry about. It is normal.”

Carla smiled. “Your daughter Historia, right? How is she?”

As they carried the luggage up the stairs, Rod droned on about Historia and how she was in her second year of college as a dramatic arts student. “She’ll be home in a few days for the summer. Eren, I think the two of you will get along well.”

Eren nearly dropped his sister at the suggestive tone in Rod’s voice. Armin snorted. The brunet forced out an awkward laugh as they entered the small apartment. “I’m sure we will.”

The apartment smelled like lavender. The interior was clean and open, cream-colored couches facing the balcony and an HD TV propped up in the corner. To the right, there was a kitchen with beautiful marble counters. To the left, a corridor led down to what Eren assumed were the bedrooms.

“Now,” Rod spoke, dropping two suitcases in the middle of the living room. “Unfortunately, there are only three bedrooms. Grisha, Carla, I set up the spare room for the two of you. Eren, Armin,” a sheepish smile, “Mikasa, you three will have to share Historia’s room. Hopefully it won’t be too cramped. I managed to squeeze another mattress in there along with the bed. I’m thinking Eren and Armin can share it and Mikasa and Historia can share the bed.”

The two cousins shared a pained look.

“That’s fine,” Armin squeaked.

“Yep,” Eren nodded.

“Perfect,” Rod turned down the corridor. “Just follow me.”

After dropping Mikasa off on Historia’s bed, a swift house tour followed. Rod’s bedroom was located at the end of the corridor and Eren’s parents’ bedroom was right next to theirs. The bathroom they’d all be sharing was right across their room. Next to the bathroom was Detective Reiss’s study.

“I’d prefer if you stay out of this room,” he spoke with a tight smile. “There’s a lot of confidential files and information hidden away in this room. We wouldn’t want anything to slip out to the public and get me fired, now, would we?”

Then the detective left them to unpack and relax for the remainder of the afternoon. “But be ready,” he grinned. “This evening, I’ll be taking you out for _une nuit à Paris_.”

  * **• •**



**PARIS WAS BREATHTAKING** during the evening. Detective Reiss took the family to an open plaza filled with shimmering lights and food stalls. A fountain with the statue of a beautiful woman marked the center of the plaza, water running down her figure. Light upbeat music faintly played in the background. Delectable smells permeated the air and stomachs rumbled in response. Eren couldn’t get enough of the night. His camera was heavy in his hands as he snapped a photo every chance he got – Armin and Mikasa forcing down a few mouthfuls of French crêpes dipped in chocolate, his mother laughing at a funny remark the detective made, his father’s disapproving frown as a pigeon flew away with his dinner. Laughter and soft chatter filled the air, creating a pleasant atmosphere.

“Oh, Rod,” Carla sighed, looping her arm around Grisha’a, “This place is absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much for bringing us here. And those crêpes were divine! Eren, we should get them for breakfast sometime, don’t you think?”

Eren nodded absent-mindedly, fidgeting with his camera. “Definitely.”

The detective grinned, leaning back in his chair. The group had settled down at a nearby café, enjoying a few cups of coffee and the peaceful ambiance of the night. “But of course! You deserve nothing but the best to celebrate your arrival. Wait until you see what I have planned for tomorrow. I’ll make sure that after your visitation, none of you will want to go back to America.”

Eren casually flicked through his camera roll, evaluating each of the photos he took and teasing Mikasa about a face she accidentally pulled. “I bet Jean would absolutely adore this! God, you look like a camel. How did you get your teeth to look like that?”

“Delete it, Eren!” his sister whined, grasping for the camera just out of her reach.

“Never.”

Rod cleared his throat, catching their attention. He folded his hands together, nodding at Eren. “You recently graduated, didn’t you, Eren? A photography major, right?”

Eren blinked. By the look in Rod’s eyes, he didn’t like where this conversation was heading. Mikasa awkwardly shifted next to him. “That’s correct, sir. Both Armin and I graduated, although he majored in 3D animation.”

A hum. “Any idea what you’re going to do in the future with that degree?”

A tight smile. “I sent in a few applications with my portfolio, but I haven’t heard anything yet. For now, I’m simply doing a bit of freelance work until I find something more permanent.”

“Well, I’ve seen your work. I’m sure the companies will be battling it out to have you. I know we at the bureau would appreciate your talents. What do you think? Ever consider becoming a crime scene photographer.”

Eren curled his fingers into a fist atop his thigh. He felt uncomfortable. He hadn’t thought of becoming a crime scene photographer for the sole reason that it felt _wrong_ to take a picture of a corpse, regardless the situation. And the detective… he’d barely met the man and already he offered Eren a job. Something didn’t sit right with him.

Thankfully, Armin was there to break the tension with a snort. “I wouldn’t recommend hiring Eren, Mr. Reiss. He has a weak stomach. Passes out at the first sign of blood. In fourth grade, I fell off my bike and scraped my knee. Eren caught one glimpse of it and blew chunks all over the street before passing out. I think we were all more concerned for him than my bloody knee.”

“Thank you for that informative story, Armin,” Eren coughed. “Really appreciate the lack of brain-to-mouth filter.”

A wink. “No problem, baby.”

Rod waved his hand. “Well, it was just a suggestion. Give it some thought, hey, Eren?”

“Sure.”

Conversation carried on lightly, mostly Rod telling the story of how Grisha saved his life. Eren tuned out, packing away his camera and hanging it over the back of his chair by its strap. He couldn’t shake the strange feeling that Detective Reiss was up to something. Slipping out his phone, he shot Armin a text.

**EREN**

_that was weird, don’t_

_you think?_

10:45pm

**CAPTAIN BLONDE**

_Omg Yesyesyes_!

_I’ve never seen you more_

_Uncomfortable in your_

_Life!_

_What was up with him?_

10:45pm

**EREN**

_idk but i’ve got a bad_

_feeling._

_“i’ll make sure that none_

_of you will want to_

_go back to america.”_

_bitch, tf?_

_and offering me a job?_

_he’s planning something_.

10:46pm

**CAPTAIN BLONDE**

_It’s obvious he’s trying to_

_Set you up with his daughter_

_And Doesn’t want you to_

_Leave lmao._

10:46pm

**EREN**

_huh?_

10:46pm

Eren glanced up and Armin shot him a look.

**CAPTAIN BLONDE**

_I saw a picture of her._

_She’s hot – You’d totally be into_

_Her if you weren’t…_

_You know…_ 💅🏻

10:46pm

Eren rolled his eyes. His cousin was the first and only person he’s come out to and every day the brunet seemed to question his decision more and more. Armin was accepting, but ruthless with the teasing.

 **EREN**  
_if she's so hot, why don't_  
_you go for her?_  
10:47 pm

 **CAPTAIN BLONDE**  
_Maybe I will ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_  
10:47 pm

Eren shook his head, locking his phone and tugging it into the side pocket of his camera bag. Leaning back in his chair, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the light breeze that ruffled his hair. He was tired. Even with the nap he had taken on the plane, it was a long day. He couldn’t wait to get back to the apartment, take a long hot shower, crawl into bed and sleep—

Hurried footsteps.

A few urgent shouts.

Someone bumped into Eren’s chair.

Time seemed to slow down as the stranger’s arm hooked around the strap of his camera bag. In the blink of an eye, it was hoisted over their shoulder and they took off sprinting down the street, dark ponytail fluttering in the wind.

One beat.

Two beats.

And Eren went right on after them, ignoring the concerned calls from his family. He refused to lose his possessions, his memories, to some petty thief. The two wove through the crowds, Eren’s eyes zoned in on the narrow back covered by a black hoodie.

The thief took a sharp left. Eren took a sharp left.

They took a turn down an alleyway. Eren was right behind them.

His blood thrummed in his veins, lungs burning and muscles screaming, but he was determined. Faster. Faster. Almost there.

Eren froze as they turned down another alleyway and the thief flawlessly scaled a wire fence and dropped down on the other side. The thief cackled, turning to face him as they realized his predicament. A girl with dark brown eyes stared at him. Readjusting her glasses, she teasingly held up his camera bag with a smirk. Eren’s blood ran cold.

“Is this what you want?” Her accent was thick. Eren’s fingers curled around the wire. “Sorry, my friend, but life is unfair. _Au revoir_.”

With a skip in her step, she turned around and skipped down the alleyway, taking Eren’s life along with her.

 _Fuck_. He kicked at the ground.

Life _was_ unfair. Eren was painfully aware of that, yet he couldn’t help but question: _why me_? By the time he trudged back to the café, lack of camera bag and cell phone obvious, he had already thought up twenty ways to seek vengeance against the stranger – if he ever saw her again.

“Did you see what she looked like?” Carla asked, running a hand up and down his back. “Hair color? Eye color? Maybe Rod can help you track her down?”

Eren shook his head. “I don’t know. It… it doesn’t matter. She’s gone.”

“I’m not so sure, Eren,” Rod said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “We can tack her down. Trust me. Let’s go down to the bureau and I can—”

“It’s fine,” he shook the hands off his shoulder and back. “Let’s just… let’s just go back. I’m tired and it’s been a long time.”

“Eren—”

“Please?” he closed his eyes. “Can we please just go back?”

A sigh from his mother. “Well, alright. Let’s get the bill.”

“Thank you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading the first chapter of this fanfiction. It's my first one on AO3 and I'm really excited. I'll try to update once or twice a week, so hopefully you guys will stay around long enough for it.


End file.
